"South Pacific weaves together characters and elements from several stories into a single plotline," press notes state. "It centers on two love stories: the story of Nellie Forbush, a young naive nurse from Arkansas, and Emile deBecque, an older Frenchman who has had a life full of varied experiences and the story of Lt. Joe Cable from Philadelphia and the young and beautiful Liat, a Tonkenese girl with whom he falls in love."